Michael van Gerwen will begin his defence of the Blåkläder Belgian Darts Open with a possible showdown against Peter Wright, with the draw and schedule for the opening PDC European Tour event of 2024 now confirmed.
The Oktoberhallen in Wieze will play host to the latest staging of the Belgian Darts Open from March 8-10, as 48 players battle it out for the £30,000 top prize and the first European Tour title of the year.
Reigning champion Van Gerwen will be among the headline acts in Belgium this weekend, with world number one Luke Humphries and teenage superstar Luke Littler also set to star.
Friday’s first round will feature 16 matches across two sessions, as Littler makes his highly-anticipated European Tour debut against former Grand Slam champion Jose de Sousa.
Belgian number one Dimitri Van den Bergh – fresh from lifting the UK Open title on Sunday – will make his return to home soil with a fascinating showdown against Masters champion Stephen Bunting, as the two most recent TV title winners collide.
Ten-time TV title winner James Wade and five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld go head-to-head in another blockbuster showdown, with World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall up against Richard Veenstra.
Two-time World Champion Wright will take on a Host Nation Qualifier in his opener, with former Masters champions Chris Dobey and Joe Cullen pitted against Romeo Grbavac and Martin Schindler respectively.
2023 UK Open champion Andrew Gilding meets Ryan Joyce for a place in Saturday’s second round, while in-form Belgian Mike De Decker will aim to delight his home crowd when he faces European Tour debutant Chris Landman.
The top 16 players from the ProTour Order of Merit will enter the fray in Saturday’s second round, with Van Gerwen and European Champion Wright on a potential collision course at the Oktoberhallen.
World number one Humphries faces either Wade or Van Barneveld in his opener, as top seed Dave Chisnall kicks off his campaign against Joyce or Gilding.
Gerwyn Price could mark his return to European Tour action against Germany’s number one Gabriel Clemens, while Littler will take on Poland’s number one Krzysztof Ratajski if he overcomes De Sousa on debut.
UK Open semi-finalist Damon Heta opens his challenge against Brendan Dolan or a Host Nation Qualifier, after Cullen and Schindler lock horns for the right to play Dirk van Duijvenbode.
Sixth seed Josh Rock will meet the winner of the tie between home hero Van den Bergh and Bunting, as 2023 World Champion Michael Smith prepares to take on De Decker or Landman for a last 16 berth.
Two-time European Champion Rob Cross has been handed a second round tie against Lukas Wenig or a Belgian qualifier, while an in-form Ryan Searle could face world number four Aspinall at the same stage.
Elsewhere, fresh from a terrific start to 2024, Gary Anderson will get his European Tour campaign underway against World Youth Championship runner-up Gian van Veen or Sweden’s Andreas Harrysson.
Following Saturday’s second round, the last 16 will take place on Sunday afternoon, before the tournament concludes with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in a bumper evening session.
Live coverage of all 2024 European Tour events will be streamed through Viaplay, and through DAZN for viewers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Coverage will also be shown on PDCTV (excluding Germany, Austria and Switzerland) and through bookmakers’ worldwide.
2024 Blåkläder Belgian Darts Open
Oktoberhallen, Wieze, March 8-10
Tournament Draw Bracket
Second Round Onwards
(1) Dave Chisnall v Ryan Joyce/Andrew Gilding
(16) Ricardo Pietreczko v Luke Woodhouse/James Hurrell
(8) Michael van Gerwen v Peter Wright/Host Nation Qualifier 1
(9) Jonny Clayton v Berry van Peer/Daniel Klose
(4) Damon Heta v Brendan Dolan/Host Nation Qualifier 4
(13) Krzysztof Ratajski v Luke Littler/Jose de Sousa
(5) Dirk van Duijvenbode v Martin Schindler/Joe Cullen
(12) Ross Smith v Daryl Gurney/Jermaine Wattimena
(2) Luke Humphries v James Wade/Raymond van Barneveld
(15) Ryan Searle v Nathan Aspinall/Richard Veenstra
(7) Rob Cross v Lukas Wenig/Host Nation Qualifier 2
(10) Danny Noppert v Chris Dobey/Romeo Grbavac
(3) Gerwyn Price v Host Nation Qualifier 3/Gabriel Clemens
(14) Gary Anderson v Andreas Harrysson/Gian van Veen
(6) Josh Rock v Dimitri Van den Bergh/Stephen Bunting
(11) Michael Smith v Mike De Decker/Chris Landman
Schedule of Play
Friday March 8
First Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 GMT)
Berry van Peer v Daniel Klose
Ryan Joyce v Andrew Gilding
Lukas Wenig v Host Nation Qualifier 2
Daryl Gurney v Jermaine Wattimena
Luke Woodhouse v James Hurrell
Brendan Dolan v Host Nation Qualifier 4
Chris Dobey v Romeo Grbavac
Andreas Harrysson v Gian van Veen
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 GMT)
Mike De Decker v Chris Landman
Martin Schindler v Joe Cullen
Host Nation Qualifier 3 v Gabriel Clemens
Luke Littler v Jose de Sousa
Peter Wright v Host Nation Qualifier 1
James Wade v Raymond van Barneveld
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Stephen Bunting
Nathan Aspinall v Richard Veenstra
Saturday March 9
Second Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 GMT)
Ricardo Pietreczko v Woodhouse/Hurrell
Ross Smith v Gurney/Wattimena
Jonny Clayton v Van Peer/Klose
Damon Heta v Dolan/HNQ4
Ryan Searle v Aspinall/Veenstra
Danny Noppert v Dobey/Grbavac
Gary Anderson v Harrysson/Van Veen
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Schindler/Cullen
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 GMT)
Dave Chisnall v Joyce/Gilding
Michael Smith v De Decker/Landman
Gerwyn Price v HNQ3/Clemens
Michael van Gerwen v Wright/HNQ1
Krzysztof Ratajski v Littler/De Sousa
Luke Humphries v Wade/Van Barneveld
Josh Rock v Van den Bergh/Bunting
Rob Cross v Wenig/HNQ2
Sunday March 10
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 GMT)
Third Round
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 GMT)
Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals
Final
Sunday’s games played in Draw Bracket order
——ENDS—–
Images: PDC
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